Final TLC album due for summer 2017

More than two years after achieving their Kickstarter goal, TLC is set to finally release their fan-funded album this summer.

TLC’s manager Bill Diggins announced the news Monday (Feb. 27) in a post on the album’s Kickstarter page. He stated that while the official date of release will be finalized within the next few weeks, the album is tentatively scheduled for end of June.

In January 2015, the iconic R&B group announced plans for their fifth and final album, which would be funded by the fans. Pledges started at $5, and higher donations gave rewards such as autographed records, meet and greets and even a movie night with a member of TLC.

The campaign surpassed its goal of $150,000 within the first week and at the end of the campaign — one month later — had $430,255 worth of pledging from more than 4,000 backers.

The album’s delay upset fans who believed TLC scammed them and took their money without result, even going so far as to create a #TLCIsGoingToJailParty hashtag on Twitter in November 2015.

In the Kickstarter post, Diggins apologized and explained the reasoning behind the delay, including the process of finishing an arena tour and difficulty coordinating schedules with writers and producers.

Diggins stated, “I could go on in more detail … but the simple fact is that T-Boz & Chilli were inspired to make a record that they could be proud of and they would not settle for less and sometimes you just cannot rush art.”

The upcoming album will be the “No Scrubs” group’s first studio album since the death of founding member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in 2002.